The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-05
HARD LIFE AMONG THE TUBS.
Ao@ Large Families. are Supported b!
the Use of the Washboara.

How Large Families are Supported by
the Use of the Washboafa.
Take an Last Broadway car. fetch a
compass unto the classic regions of Cherry
street ami there may he penetrated the
very heart of wilshvomandom, where
tenement Is bound to tenement by closely
interviewer lines of fiuttering wet linen
and tine atmosphere is as redolent of
warm soapsuls as the pages of LAS
sommoir. There all ranks and classes
of laundres&ses live, and the stories of
their Lives bear out the claim that there
is rarely reason any hard working, self
respecting woman should live in squalor.
That is what one laundress said who had
seven little children to support and had
been in bed for two months with gastric
fever.
when I'm on my feet, she declared.
'.the cliiiiren want for nothing and L
ass favors from nobody. It's been
pretty hard with me here on my back for
two months now, taken down ThanksSiv-
ing IA. Al never up since, but my Sis
tcrs is good and helps me and my biggest
girl ,lo,s all the washing she can and
makes a few dollars. There's no reason
in the wuTE why hard working woman
shOul, IN I 1--we quite decent and respecta-
bl. oA w;l,h.ns-I always did and mean
to arin ~.ie.t I'm well. There's the
cilil Isct.. III Ii'sc steps. and he and my
SELF. lie has been cut Of work for nearly
wear ami i..si lust this week got a
watchinau Lace, but when there a big
family Ike tins the wornan's got to help.
How mIu} c.ili,!ren Is there in all?" she
said. turning ID The eldest daughter, who
leaned Ca tine foot of the bed and wiped
her wet, rel arms on her apron.
The pale, tagged girl went into an alb
strlule calculation on her fingers, reckon
ing up an endless number of TommieS
and Slsiea and Marys, winding up with
the baby. which made seven.
YES, sir; seven, and me and him's
nine and we lived quite respectable all
the year ON so the week. How did we
do it, Wen, L never counted the money,
but spent i. u it came and it always came
out even in the end. For one thing, we
only pays IS month for this flat, be-
cause I'm the caretaker of the house and
that counts for the rent. Then the chill
dren get big slice of bread and butter
anil a cup of coffee for their breakfast,
meat and some potatoes or cabbage for
their dinner and bread and tea again for
supper. They live quite hearty on that
and go to school regular. Me and the
girl and my husband have a bit of bacon
at night. The coal is tine thing that costs
most; it takes a lot of it to heat the irons
and often, in bad weather, all the clothes
has to be dried i'll the house. But there's
one thing certain, any woman that does
honest work can live quite nice and COM
Portable on washing if she don't drink;
that's tine trouble with most of them
The sister of the sick woman lived not
fev- So
of the profession. She had four rooms
and lived there with young daughter in
much comfort. They had parIor with
a set of walnut furniture, carpet and fresh
white curtains, with a motto of God
Bless Our Home over the mantelpiece.
One neat, bright room was kept entirely
for a laundry and no cooking or sleeping
was done there, as she only took in the
very finest washing. the owners of which
Were p,srtio;Ilar that their clothes should
have nooI0rs. She took in washing from
the big. fashionable flats up town, the
clothes hiag mIrvels of dainty luxury,
many of six and all covered with lace
and embroidery.
II average about So or $40 week.
she said, '';iad | ask s.. or $3 dozen for
every stitch take il, for they are all fine
and covered with trimming and takes
extra work. Besides, YOU I've got to be
regular trained to know how to do all
this line stuif, and 'tisn't every one as
could do them at all. Me and my
daughter lives quite comfortable and
never wants for anything. We We always
Il, mich work We can do and the ladies
pay well ami promptly. She can wash
as wei a | can ari no one ever finds
blue strv-l.-. III lay clothes and am care
full not To tear the Race or let anything
get nllide~-c~i- and / oso.l' ask any better
way al earning M living"
The third vf;i.4!erwonlan visited was of
colore-l pa. :lr'in:i AND lived quite alone.
HusG,,..tlz she exclaimed. ''No, /
ain't ~, 80 istt.banl- 1 done tried three
anu then 1 guit; i, : as mucl, IA l can do
to take care ~ i.,lHeif. LIT lone suppo tin
some LU;y LiEger that amt ITO count
'cepn 10 cary home the clothes; l kin
hire u Boy t, go K cheaper. amt never
had no t.o abs t,a!l.g care myself washin';
no, ln,!e, /; ~ gUs molcy III the savin's
balla ai.d | make, my good $40 4 week
~ ,;Ilar. Eol SEQ all them po' white
folks ga Your WAY W stairs? Well, they
takes ~ w.l7--II tn. bat they amt got no
comfort ...t5L. 2m AMI they always in
debt to tx g~rcccrynE-a rOtIli'l the corner.
Its ,.riGL-.l sf.I ia,-in,es wirx's the
matter wit!I tii":n. 3Io:I,la lock l
got u Eos@ Is.Tt ri ms c!oth nunSin' out
TO dry. and every day up To Friday l
washes ia IT,. Ilogni2' and irons in the
afternoou. bsit tIetn women, they don't
do II single blessed thing all day Monday.
It's late ia the afternoon 'fogc they gets
the soils.t clothes here, and then it's
Mrs. Fi.innisln, dear, come III am have
a glass of beer. do and then she and
Mrs. Flannigln sits down and talks all
the time they're drinkin' it, and Mrs.
Flannigan stands treat next day, and SO
it goes all the week, 50 YOU needn't
wonder to see them poor and dirty and
their room So nasty | wouldn't sit down
in it. - Brooklyn Eagle.